The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting electronic components or the like on circuit boards on an occasion of SMT (Surface Mount Technology) mounting, COB (Chip-On-Board) mounting, COG (Chip-On-Glass) mounting, etc.
In a conventional mounting apparatus of the above-described type, at least either a component mounting head or a circuit board adopts a device for moving in X and Y directions.
FIG. 5 indicates the constitution of the conventional mounting apparatus, in which reference numerals 1-4 are respectively a component carrier head, an X-Y robot, a component cassette or tray used in feeding electronic components, and a circuit board.
The operation of the conventional example of FIG. 5 will be described below.
The component carrier head 1 is set at the X-Y robot 2 and is movable in X and Y directions. Moving in the X and Y directions over the component cassette or tray 3 in the rear part of the equipment, the component carrier head 1 sucks and takes out a necessary electronic component. Then, the component carrier head 1 moves in X and Y directions to a predetermined position of the positionally regulated circuit board 4, to mount the electronic component onto the circuit board.
In the constitution of the above conventional example, it is difficult to feed the electronic components from a front or side face of the equipment because the component carrier head 1 is moved in the X and Y directions by the X-Y robot 2. Since the component carrier head 1 is set on the X-Y robot 2, only one component carrier head 1 can be set on the equipment. Therefore, if it becomes necessary to apply a paste on the circuit board or on the sucked electronic component, an additional function therefor should be assigned to the component carrier head, which forces the component carrier head to carry out an increased number of steps and consequently lengthens the mounting time. Further, rigidity of a coupling section between the X and Y shafts is weak in the system using the X-Y robot, thus deteriorating mounting accuracy.
In order to eliminate the above disadvantages, if the system is adapted in such constitution as to move the circuit board in the X and Y directions and set a plurality of component carrier heads on the equipment, the equipment inevitably becomes bulky in size.